Thursday, December 18, 2008

As you all know I am a sneaker fanatic, I'm especially a fan of anything exclusively released. Like my most prized pair which is 1 of 76 "Lebron Zoom 5 Mr. Basketball's" which can easily go for $1,500 right now and I wore them twice. Nice. The guy in picture above with me is the Legendary DJ Clark Kent (his resume is too extensive so google him but just to give you an idea he discovered Jay-Z and told Columbia to sign NaS). He is also a sneaker collector but he specializes in Air Force 1's and oh baby did I see some sugar honey ice tea at his Niketown event last night.

First of all you had to RSVP for the event (which I failed to do) and the line was wrapped around and stretched all the way down Fifth Avenue. Fortunately for me Clark Kent is the homie and one call got me right in. It was a real nice event, Clark had the music going and without any doing on my part he was playing his favorite unsigned artist from The Bronx throughout the night (some kid name Emcee Nova). The sneaker heads were in full effect and it was the kind of event I could go to everyday (fuck the club). But there was this one pair of AF1's that he had in his collection designed by Mayor (picture below) and it blew my mind. Denim material, red patent leather swoosh and not just an icy bottom but the entire midsole was icy. I glorified 'em so much that mayor told me to call him and he would gladly give me the $850 customized pair designed to my liking with no problem (all because Clark is the homie). Anyway check out the shoe and show some respect.

Monday, December 15, 2008

This guy Mr. West is yes...A GENIUS. I was watching "Saturday Night Live" this past Saturday as I've been doing every Saturday for as long as I can remember with guest host Actor Hugh Lorie (House-Fox) and Kanyeezy was the guest performer. After all the performances I've seen in all my years of watching this show Mr. West really changed the game and raised the bar with his set. Although his voice seemed to be a little under the weather (autotune wasn't available for comment) he show was still remarkable.

His album "808's & Heartbreak" is very interesting album and probably will be appreciated long after it's time. My personal favorites are "Say You Will" and "See You in My Nightmare" featuring Lil' Wayne. I grooved to this entire album with the top down as I drove down the coast when I was in L.A last week and it couldn't have been a more perfect chance for me to evaluate his album and his position. By his position I mean his place in history and booooy will it be a nice place. His album is categorized as "R&B" and if he still plans on doing "Good Ass Job" before September 30Th of 2009 then he will be up for Grammy nominations in both the Rap and R&B categories in 2010. He may be the first artist to receive Best Album nods in two separate categories as a solo artist and two nods in the same category which would be Best Album (0verall). Kanye you have done it again and I hope you lose because it's the only way to keep you getting better and better. That might be mean but it's necessary not only for Hip-Hop but for Music (period)

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Monday, December 1, 2008

Oh is that what you thought. J.D has got to be the most unappreciated mogul in music. He has spawned hit record after hit record and hit artist after hit artist. All his money (all $60 Million of it) is all music money, no clothing, no alcohol, no sneakers just music. We all know what he has done for his label bred artists like Xscape, Kris Kross, Da Brat. Jagged Edge and Lil' Bow Wow but I wanna talk about the ungrateful mofo's who used and abused him.

Usher's first album "Usher", Executive Produced by Puffy and them Combs (lol) debuted at 167 on the billboard charts and has sold 50,000 units to date, so my man J.D told L.A Reid let me get him. And what did it get, "My Way-1997" had 2 number one singles and 2 number two singles and has sold over 8 Million records to date. "8701-2001" sold another 8 Million records, 4 Million of which was sold in the U.S. "Confessions-2004" was Ursher's most successful album. He became the first Male R&B to sell more than 1 Million copies his opening week which would lead him to selling 10 million in the U.S and 19 Million worldwide making it the 5th best selling album of the 21st century. Obviously at this point he doesn't need Jermaine anymore so he records "Here I Stand-2008" and it stalls at 2 Million records and the label has pulled the plug on the album.

Okay so now it's 2004 and the pop diva with more number one singles than anyone career is over. She signs with L.A Reid at Def Jam and who does he call to save the day. You guessed it, Jermaine Dupri. 'Emancipation of Mimi-2005" is released to 3 number one singles all produced by J.D and sells 10 Million records in the U.S. It won Grammy's, held the number one spot for albums on the billboard charts on two separate occasions and was voted one of the top 100 albums of the last 25 years. She's alive and guess what...doesn't need J.D anymore. Okay now, let's release "E=MC2-2008" and sell 1 Million records. My homeboy Dream wrote her first single making it her biggest opening week ever with 463,000 copies sold and stayed two weeks at the number one spot on the charts but it wasn't because she was popping it was because her last album was so great you had to get the next one but we saw through her and that's why she's stalled at platinum.

All of his artists have garnered platinum success and with Da Brat being the first Female Rap Artist to do it I would say this guy has the touch. Everyone who leaves him doesn't do as well as before (Bow Wow left failed came back and went platinum). And I forgot to mention he wasn't credited with an EP title but he was pivitol in TLC's "CrazySexyCool" 10 Million sold and Mariah Carey's "Daydream" 8 Million sold. He is over 50 million records sold and a few of them actually came from him being an artist 5 Million to be exact. And you wonder why Janet loves him.